Why GAAR Is a Better Way to Record Cockpit Audio

Many pilots currently record cockpit audio and video using a “Y” splitter cable: one connection goes to the headset, while the other sends audio to a phone or camera.

It works, but it is not always the most practical solution in a real cockpit environment.

The Current Splitter Cable Solution

Recording directly to a phone may look simple at first, but it brings several limitations.

Main drawbacks:

• Large file sizes
  Recording video directly on a phone can use around 7 GB per hour, or up to 13 GB per hour in 4K.

• Heavy phone battery drain
  Recording 4K video for an hour can drastically reduce your phone battery. That may not seem like a big issue until you land somewhere special — for example, at a beautiful airshow — and still need your phone for photos, calls, navigation, tickets, transport, or communication.

• No charging while recording
  With the phone’s USB input already being used for audio recording, charging the phone at the same time may not be possible.

• Data still needs to be transferred later
  After the flight, the recorded files still need to be moved to another device. Wireless transfer methods such as AirDrop can require both devices to stay awake and unlocked during the transfer.

• More cables in the cockpit
  “Y” splitter cables add extra wires in the cockpit, creating more clutter around the pilot.

• Bias voltage concerns
  Some phone audio inputs provide microphone bias voltage. With certain splitter setups, that voltage may be fed back toward the aircraft headset audio system, which is not ideal.

The GAAR Solution

GAAR is a dedicated standalone cockpit audio recorder designed specifically for pilots, aviation content creators, and filmmakers who need clean, flexible audio without relying on a phone.

GAAR records independently, keeps your phone free, reduces cockpit clutter, and gives you more control during editing.

Key GAAR Features

Standalone Recording

GAAR records audio independently, so your phone remains available for navigation, communication, photos, calls, and use after landing.

No Extra Cockpit Cables

GAAR avoids the cable clutter of traditional “Y” splitter setups, helping keep the cockpit cleaner and more organized.

Up to 7 Hours of Internal Battery Life

The internal battery lasts up to 7 hours, making GAAR suitable for longer flights, full recording sessions, airshow arrivals, and aviation content shoots.

Sync Tone for Multi-Camera Editing

GAAR produces a sync tone to help align footage from multiple cameras, such as:

• cockpit camera

• wing camera

• tail camera

• external action cameras

This makes post-production faster and helps synchronize your video footage more accurately.

Dual Mono Recording

GAAR records in dual mono mode, giving you two separate audio tracks:

• Pilot/intercom dialogue

• Cockpit ambient sound

This gives you more flexibility during editing. You can keep the pilot’s voice clear while also blending in natural cockpit and engine sound as background atmosphere in the final video.

Internal Microphone for Briefings and Lessons

GAAR’s internal microphone can also be used away from the headset connection, making it useful for recording:

• pre-flight briefings

• ground school lessons

• cockpit explanations

• location notes

• aviation training content

Mini-Jack Output

GAAR includes a mini-jack output, giving you extra flexibility when you want to:

• record directly into a camera

• feed audio to another recording device

• capture sound for a location filming project

Compatible with 24 fps and 30 fps Camera Workflows

GAAR can be used with both 24 fps and 30 fps camera setups, making it suitable for aviation videos, cinematic projects, YouTube content, and multi-camera filming.

Battery Level Indicator

A built-in battery level indicator shows the battery status, so you can check power before and during your recording session.

Playback of the Last Recording

GAAR can also play back the last recording, allowing you to quickly check that your audio was captured successfully.

Cleaner Recording. Less Cockpit Clutter. More Freedom.

GAAR gives pilots a purpose-built alternative to phone-based cockpit recording.

It helps preserve phone battery, reduces cockpit wiring, avoids splitter-cable complications, and makes multi-camera editing easier.

Whether you are recording a flight, filming a cockpit video, documenting a training session, or arriving at a beautiful airshow, GAAR keeps your audio workflow simple, reliable, and ready for editing.